Tallest
by Skittles the Sugar Fairy
Summary: Never before had there been -two- Tallest, so how did that come to pass? Perhaps, something like this.


Red and Purple were tall, they always had been. And having always been tall it meant that they were allowed to get away with more than most. It lent to a lot of bad habits… such as sneaking about places that they shouldn't be. Which was what they were doing right now.

"We really shouldn't be here," Purple muttered, mostly to himself since Red wasn't listening to any of his protests.

"Quit being such a smeet. Besides, I know you want to find out just as badly as I do." The crimson eyed one crept along, antennae up and alert for any Security Guards that might spot them and ruin their plan – well, Red's plan.

"That's beside the point!" The other Elite hissed back vehemently. He kept to the wall, knowing that there was no other way to hide his towering yet willowy form. Keeping his voice to a whisper he continued to try and convince the other to call off the insane plan. "There's a reason only the Tallest and their Advisors are allowed back here! If we're caught-"

"-_If_ we get caught," Red interrupted smoothly. Rolling his eyes back at the other he grinned lightly. "Which is going to happen if you don't shut up."

The violet Elite shut his mouth with a barely audible click. He certainly didn't want to get caught. The punishment for sneaking around the back restricted parts of Judgementia was harsh. So it was with an overly cautious eye that he followed the other.

Darting across area's that were better lit and then slinking through the welcoming shadows. Every little sound or unknown movement made them freeze, breath held precariously as they waited a moment before continuing on again.

The closer they drew to their destination the edgier and more tense they got. With every ounce of trained skill they possessed they rerouted cameras and hacked into door codes until, finally, they reached the elusive section that they were risking everything for. If they were caught at this point there was no doubt between them that they would end up as a janitorial crew on Dirt. Or maybe even on Foodcourtia…

Then, as one they reached up and placed their hands against the enormous ornamental doors that separated them from their goal.

"No matter what, we're still friends." Red was staring straight ahead, not meeting the softening gaze of his cohort. Neither of them knew what would await them on the other side and the crimson one was preparing for the worst despite his earlier optimism.

Violet eyes were bright as Purple spoke. "Not if you don't help me open this Irk damned door. Quit bein' mushy and help, dork."

Laughing quietly because it would be stupid to get caught without even seeing the room, he nodded and together they pushed, the heavy doors sliding open painfully slowly. The room was well lit, allowing the stunned Elite's a chance to gape.

Mass amounts of wires, cables and cord stretched above them, some even hanging down the walls. Coils and coils of the stuff was spread everywhere. At the centre of the room there were two slightly raised platforms, each of which bore the Irken Armada's military symbol as well as the small script, 'All shall be judged by the whole'. Above the platforms were two large view screens that hung from some of the cables which disappeared back into the myriad above them.

Almost mechanically they stepped forward, eyes wide. Neither had seen anything so imposing, so glorious before. To an Irken, this might as well have been a holy site. This was where Tallests were made. This was where the Empire found out if you were anyone. Only those sanctioned by the Control Brains were allowed to be where they were. And even then it wasn't without direct Tallest supervision. So to be just standing in the room… was monumental.

"Wow…." Neither could find proper words to describe the awe that the Measuring Room inspired in them. They stepped forward together, so that they came to be just between the platforms. Not touching, they gazed down at the letters at their feet. Standing there, knowing how many laws they were breaking made the words seem far too ominous.

"Kay, we came and we saw, we need to go before the Control Brains wake up and find us here." Not looking back at the other Elite, Purple brushed his hand against the others and bit his lip nervously. There was this sinking feeling in the spit of his squeedlyspooch and it was making him far more nervous than when they had been sneaking about.

"What? We just got here!" The crimson Elite knew that his friend was right and that every moment they stayed was only heightening their chances of being caught…. But it was very hard to just leave, after all the trouble they went through to get to this one room and then to be able to actually see it and not use it? "Besides, if we're here we might as well use it. Settle everything once and for all, right? Isn't that why we're here in the first place?"

"Well… I suppose it couldn't hurt. Its not like standing on the platforms is going to wake them up, right?" Purple inched forward and finally took that step onto the platform. Behind him Red had already taken his step onto the left platform at the exact moment that the violet one had.

The moment that the majority of their weight shifted onto the platforms, the slightly raised pieces glowed an eerie green, casting a haunting glow about the two of them. The screens lit up and information that was listed in their personal PAK files scrolled across it. Scores, age, weight and other little bits that weren't what they sought filled the screen.

Then finally, the word slowly formed across the top. One letter at a time, they watched with baited breath. As the last character of the word lit on the screen, three sets of glowing orange eyes flashed open, and echoing voices boomed through out the room.

"Trespassers!"

Red and Purple froze with eyes wide and jaws slack as they gazed up in horror. All three Control Brains were awake and staring down at them with a terrifyingly alert status.

"We're so dead…" It was Red who muttered it, even as he was staring up, unable to break the locked gaze that held him in place.

"You are Irkens 83649322371408 and 83649322371416, known as Purple and Red. You are not authorized to be here, you are only Elite Soldiers." The Control Brain on the right was the first one to speak, snaking down from the mass of coils on the ceiling.

The other two followed, coiling down and curling under the view screens above the platforms. It was the central one that spoke next, a slight curious tone to its voice. "They are tall though. Much taller than the Advisors…."

Red and Purple spared a glance at each other, eyes wide for a different reason now. Taller than the Advisors? How was that possible? Why hadn't anyone noticed something like that? They really weren't that tall… were they?

"Yes, they are…. Bring up their information." The left Brain ordered the other two, staring down intently. While the Control Brains were supposed to be all knowing, they were not all powerful and certain things were not brought to their attention, such as the constant changes in the personal information of young Irken's PAKs.

Information scrolled across the screen too fast for their eyes to catch and they watched, completely silent as the Control Brains seemed to hum. Then, finally, the centre one spoke. "Elite's Red and Purple, you are both exactly 8'5"."

Purple choked and turned completely away from the Control Brains to stare at his friend. They really were the exact same height! But then….Was it possible they really were that tall? The violet one's mouth worked open and close, trying to find something to say to the other but failing.

"There is a malfunction then. The current Tallest is only 7'6"." It was the left one that spoke, ignoring everything that Red and Purple were doing. Right now there were far more pressing matters than surprised and near frantic Elite.

Red knew better than to turn his complete attention away from the beings above him but he couldn't help but meet the gaze of his companion. Confusion and surprise were evident on his face as he tried to figure out if what they were hearing was even possible. They were the same height AND they were taller than the Tallest? How had that gone unnoticed?

"We do not Malfunction," the right Brain asserted forcefully. It was not something that was possible. A Control Brain was perfect, it did not make mistakes. It did however make oversights… which was what must had happened. Red and Purple were too young to have been checked regularly. As it was they were still young enough to grow some more.

The centre Brain curled around, staring at its brethren. "Then if there is no Malfunction they are Tallest."

"Tallest is tallest of all. They can not both be Tallest." The left Brain seemed keen on arguing, or at very least prolonging their torture. As it was the two of them were considering bolting, Tallest-to-bes or not, having your fate and life decided right above you was more than a little disconcerting.

The right Control Brain countered swiftly and"They are taller than the current Tallest. They are the same height. Therefore they are both Tallest."

"The logic is sound." The centre hanging one attested, almost glaring down at the two before them. The Brains knew they should just punish them and be done with it but… they were just too tall. Too tall for even their own good if they had thought they would be able to get away with sneaking into the Measuring Room…. But they were the tallest so they could get away with it, even if they hadn't known in at the time.

"Indeed." The Control Brain on the left said it tersely. It knew that the logic was flawless, but it also knew of the two's history. Red and Purple were mischievous at best, malicious at worst. At very least they were motivated, the Empire would prosper under their guide, which was why the left Brain did not protest again.

"We're going to be Tallest?" It seemed so surreal that he had to voice it. It made him sounds a little stupid but he didn't care. It couldn't possibly be real. Purple shook his head and made to step off the platform but before he could the Control Brain spoke again.

"Very well. Elite's Red and Purple, prepare to be re-encoded."

Red wasn't sure which on said it at this point but he could definitely see the two thick cables descending from the ceiling towards their PAKs. His first instinct was to panic and run. Being re-encoded as Tallest would be the greatest thing to ever happen to them… but he didn't want to have his information changed.

Purple was still and calm on the outside as the cable connected into his PAK. He hissed, falling to the ground with his crimson friend as the re-encoding began. Irk, it hurt! He could feel pieces of himself being rearranged. Holding in a whimper he looked over to half-clenched crimson eyes and they stayed like that, staring into the other's eyes for reassurance as the process was went about.

The Control Brains spoke at once, the sound reverberating through out the room and across all the channels of Irken communication. All would know, and they would know together. "Arise, Tallest Red and Tallest Purple. Let none question you, for you are now Tallest."

Purple and Red stood together, their movements eerily mirrored. They looked up at the Control Brains and nodded once before turning back to each other with a grin. It was going to be very good being Tallest.


End file.
